Posts From Home

Thinking about our health needs on the road was one of the most daunting aspects of preparing for long-term travel. I scoured the internet for lists of first aid items to pack and was immediately confused with what I read. Many blogs I found recommended packing syringes, local anesthetic, sutures, and forceps among other intimidating supplies. Yikes! I didn’t go to med school!

After three years of scrimping, saving, and planning, we are at LAX airport waiting to board our first flight to Nadi, Fiji! I can’t believe the adventure is about to begin. We will spend two quick days in Fiji before heading to New Zealand to spend three weeks bumming around in a van. The next post will be from the road ... finally!

Goodbye perfect little funky-house. Andrew, Ollie, and I left our little 1896 house in Northeast Portland, Oregon today. It was a tiny home with barely two bedrooms and just one bathroom, but it was our cozy rental for a year and a half. It was the first home the three of us lived in together without roommates and it was perfect.

Sweet sweet freedom! I have just given notice at my job. For the last three and a half years I have worked 10 hour days or more, for a large investment firm doing a variety of communications and analysis work. I spent my days not in an office, or even a cubicle, but at a portion of a long desk that was mine—a “desk slot,” if you will.

Over the last two months, we really ramped up selling our stuff to prepare for our departure date. We started this process with a two-bedroom house plus a garage and a ginormous basement, meaning we had a lot of sh*t!.

I did it! This past weekend, I ran my first marathon. I ran my first marathon even though the night before, I wasn’t sure if I’d toe the start line. I ran my first marathon despite thinking about dropping out with every step for the first five miles.

As we enter fall, it's truly starting to hit how soon this big adventure will take place. In just 12 short weeks, Andrew and I will begin our year of traveling. Fortunately, planning and saving is right on track. So far, we have given our 6-months notice on the house we rent in Portland, chosen our ever-important travel backpacks (more on that later), gotten Andrew an international drivers license, and purchased our first flight out of the US!